Bath scrubber



J, s. GULLBQRG ET AL v v y June 10, 1924.

BATH SCRUBBERk Filed Aug. 12.. 1920 4 Patented June 10, 1924.

stares PATENT oFFlca.

JOHN S. GULL-BORG AND HARRY E. H ALL, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BATH SCRUBBER.

Application led Aug-ust 12, 1920. Serial No. 403,002.

T o all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that we, JOHN S. GULLBORG and HARRY E. HALL, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bath Scrubbers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication.

This invention relates to improvements in bath brushes.

The primary aim of our present invention is to provide a bath brush or scrubber which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and durable.

Another object of our invention is to provide a brush of this character which is adjustablev to different angles relative the handle portion thereof, the latter being provided with an improved friction grip which is adapted to conveniently fit the users hand.

We contemplate in the production of this device, in one of its embodiments, the provision of a backing member formed of solid but flexible rubber or the like having a rubber sponge vulcanized or otherwise secured thereto and forming the scrubber. The handle comprises preferably a base portion angularly movable upon the backing member and a gripping member angularly movable on said base portion. We prefer to construct the grip portion of the handle of wire and cover the same with heavy canvas, to be grasped by the user. We have found such a handle to be entirely satisfactory, as the heavy weave of the canvas readily affords a surface which does not lose its friction quality even when covered with soap and water, as will, of course, necessarily be so when the article is in use.

The features of our invention which we desire to em hasize reside in the connection of the scrub er proper tothe handle and in the construction of the grip portion of the handle. With this device it is possible to reach those parts of the body not ordinarily accessible when bathing. l

While we shall describe in detail a preferred structure, it will be understood that we reserve the right to modify the same in detail when reduclng to practice, such as the manner of securing the sponge to the backing member or other details which in altering do not depart from the spirit of the invention.

In the following specication, a preferred embodiment of our invention is described in detail, a more concrete understanding of the same being obtained from this description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan 'view of our improved brush, and

Figure 2 is a sectional View of the same.

Figure 3, is an enlarged section of the hinge taken on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 illustrates a modified .form of the scrubber.

In the preferred embodiment of our invention, illustrated in the fi res of the drawing, 10 designates the bac in member of hard rubber, preferably elliptica in shape and having a rubber sponge 11, vulcanized or otherwlse secured to one face thereof. The sponge 11 is preferably of the same contour as the backing member, but slightly largerthan the backing member. The opposite face of the backing member 10 is provided witha circular flange 12 forming a groove 13 for reception of the peripheral edge of the plate 14, provided with a pair of lugs 15-15 struck out therefrom. The plate is mounted for restrained rotation in the groove, the groove is will not rotate too freely, ing member.

The handle preferably is constructed of wire with a suitable gripping portion and a portion for hin ed connection to the plate described herein efore. This handle, there-` fore, consists of a wire frame 17 composed of two divergent arms' 19-19 -oset at 20-20, forming spaced divergent portions 2121, the free ends 22-22 terminating in abutting relation in a short curved tube 23, said tube being depressed inwardly at 24, to prevent displacement of the ends of the wire strands. The tube may be moved along one of the portions 22 in order to ermit disconnection for a purpose whic will presently appear.

fairly snug so that the plate relative the back- Curving of the ends 22-22 serves to provide. shoulders 25-25, and a gripping member 26 is stretched across and over said parallel portions 21-21, this gripping portion preferably being a piece of heavy canvas, as canvas possesses the characteristic of retainin its frlctlon quality even when covered with soap and water. A strut 27' extends between the parallel arms 2l-21, adjacent the offset por.

that is, the fit of the plate in tions 20*20, to contribute to the rigidity of the structure. The arms 21-21 are somewhat resilient tending to maintain their respective free ends in abutment when alined by the tube 23. The ends of the strut 27 may be bent about and brazed to the arms 2l-21.

As referred to generally hereinbefore the frame 17 is pivotally mounted on the plate 14. This pivotal mounting preferably comprises a shaft 18 carried by and extending between the two lugs 15-15 found on the plate 14, the ends of the arms 19-19 being curved about the shaft 18 as indicated at 27 and disposed in spaced relation on said shaft and in abutment with said lugs. A helical spring 28 is interposed between the ends 27 of said arms 19-19, surrounding said shaft and serving to maintain the free ends of the arms in frictional engagement with the lugs15. Thus, in use, the backing member carrying the rubber sponge and the plate 14 areadjustable angularly relative to the wire frame 17 and are maintained in an angular adjusted position by virtue of the frictional engagement of the free ends of the arms 19-19 with the lugs 15-15. The canvas gripping member 26 is tubular and can be easily removed from the frame by sliding thetubular member clear of one of the curved portions 22 of the arms 21 and compressing the said arms. The frame itself will last for an indefinite period, it being convenient, when necessary, to`

renew the sponge and backing member and the gripping member, it being feasible when placing the article on the market to sell these parts separately. This also insures a sanitary article which may be easily kept clean.

The assembly of the device and the eX- treme simplicity of the same insures a low cost of manufacture and a consequent reasonable market price. In use, the scrubber renders accessible those parts of the body such as the back of the user, there being no rough edges at or near the scrubber which might abrade the skin, the extension of the sponge beyond the periphery of the backing member insuring that the backing member cannot come in contact with the skin.

We desire. to point out that the exact shape of the scrubber is not material, as the same need not be elliptical, as shown. Tn some cases it may be desirable to make the flange 12 along the periphery of the backing member, and this is shown in Figure 4 as at 12.

While we have described our invention as a bath brush, it will be appare-nt that it is not limited to this use, but may be adapted for application to a number of uses, and, therefore, we reserve the right to make changes in the details thereof, l,such as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim:

1. Tn a bath brush, a backing member having a sponge on one face thereof, and a circular flange on the opposite face thereof, a plate engaged under said flange and frictionally held against rotation, and an angularly adjustable handle connected to said plate.

2. ln a bath brush, a backing member of flexible rubber, having a circular flange on one face thereof, and a circular plate having its peripheral edge rotatively and frictipnally engaged under said flange, and a rubber sponge scrub-ber vulcanized to said backing member.

3. A bath brush comprising, in combination, a brush member, a backing member secured to one face thereof, said backing member having a circular flange on its opposite face, a plate having rotative engagement with said flange, ears on said plate, a handle, and means connecting said handle to said ears and permitting angular adjustment of said handle relative to said plate.

4. Tn a scrubber, a backing member of flexible -rubber having a rcircular flange on one face thereof, a rubber sponge on the opposite face thereof and of the same contour as but slightlyl, larger than` said backing member, a metallic plate receivable under said flange, and a handle on said plate.

5. Tn combination a sponge, a `flexible backing piece secured thereto, a metal plate rotatably connected to the back of said backing piece, and ears set up out of said metal plate for attachment to a handle.

6. Tn combination, a brush assembly, ears projecting from the back of said assembly, a handle having two spaced portions resilient throughout their lengths, eyes at the brush ends of said spaced portions, apintle entering said eyes, spring means forcing said eyes into frictional engagement with said ears, and a removable fabric tube on the grip portion of said handle, the resilience of said side pieces permitting removal of said tube, and proper functioning of said spring friction means.

7. A handle having. in combination, spaced resilient longitudinally extending members, and a fabric anti-friction sleeve embracing a portion of said members, said members having irregularities adjacent the ends of said sleeve to hold it in position.

lin witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 5th day ofAugust, A. D.,

JUHN S. GULLBORG. HARRY E. HALL, 

